UPDATE FROM PRACTICE: via Ken Warren’s Twitter (@Citizenkwarren), judging by the line combinations, Jarkko Ruutu and Filip Kuba will be replaced in the lineup by O’Brien and Brian Lee.

For those who aren’t familiar with how most of the Ottawa Senators’ news breaks on Twitter these days, Scott MacArthur (@ScottMacArthur) from the Team 1200 has broken news that Jim O’Brien has been recalled by the organization. It’s safe to assume that O’Brien wasn’t recalled by the team to watch the game from the pressbox but thus far, there’s been no disclosure as to why O’Brien was recalled or who he is replacing in the lineup.

With the way that the Kovalev and Clouston relationship is fractured, maybe Kovalev will be a healthy scratch tonight? It would certainly add some intrigue to tonight’s New Year’s Eve game featuring two non-playoff teams. Perhaps the next message that the Senators will send Alex is an Erik Condra callup in hopes that he publicly urinates on Kovalev’s ride.

So where does O’Brien fit in amongst a lineup that it is already seamlessly blended with third and fourth line talent? I guess it doesn’t really matter. But regardless of who O’Brien spells in the lineup, full marks to him for reaping the rewards after spending this past offseason busting his ass in the gym. As often as this website had poked fun at him as another one of John Muckler scouting staff’s botched draft picks, it’s nice to see him find his way to the NHL level after only a season and a half of AHL development.